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Four Democratic members of the state's delegation say provision barring dual nationals from traveling under program is discriminatory

WASHINGTON — Four Democratic members of Michigan’s congressional delegation urged U.S. Senate leaders on Friday to consider changes to legislation which would tighten rules on 38 countries whose citizens can visit the U.S. without a visa, calling parts of the bill discriminatory.

The four — U.S. Reps. John Conyers of Detroit, Debbie Dingell of Dearborn, Dan Kildee of Flint Township and Brenda Lawrence of Southfield — asked Senate leaders to drop a provision that would bar residents of those countries who are dual citizens of Syria or Iraq from participating in the Visa Waiver Program.

“As written, (the legislation) would result in discrimination against people simply because they are dual citizens based on ancestry,” they wrote to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Harry Reid. “Fundamentally, people seeking entry into our country should be evaluated based on the specific security risk that they themselves pose – not where their parents are from.”

U.S. Rep. Candice Miller, R-Harrison Township, who wrote the legislation passed by the U.S. House this week, defended it as appropriate and said it wasn't discriminatory, citing reports that some of those involved in the deadly attacks in Paris last month in which 130 people were killed had recently traveled to Syria.

“These provisions aren’t based on religious preference, they are based on facts," she said. "Groups like ISIS operating out of these countries are recruiting and radicalizing individuals at record pace. ... These provisions aren’t discriminatory. They are commonsense. Furthermore, they do not ban travel to the U.S. They merely require that these individuals undergo an additional step of screening (to secure a visa)."

Some 20 million people a year visit the U.S. from member nations under the Visa Waiver Program, which allows travelers, who are typically traveling for business, research or recreation, to remain in the U.S. for up to 90 days without first securing a visa.

While Syria and Iraq are not members of the Visa Waiver Program, under current rules, people from member nations, which includes many European countries and other U.S. allies, who are dual citizens of those or other nations potentially linked to terrorism could presumably travel to the U.S. under the program, though the Obama administration has said they are continually upgrading security measures.

In the wake of last month’s Paris attacks, for which ISIS claimed credit, the U.S. House passed Miller's legislation, which would restrict the program’s use by anyone who is a dual citizen of, or has traveled to, Syria, Iraq or any other nation linked with international terrorism.

The legislation passed the House by an overwhelming margin, 407-19, with the four Michigan Democrats writing the letter among the relative handful voting against the bill. It now moves to consideration in the U.S. Senate, where it could be included in an “omnibus” bill being looked at the fund government.

Michigan has one of the largest Arab-American communities in the U.S. But while the four Michigan Democrats wrote the letter, several other of their colleagues signed on as well: By the end of the day, 28 others had signed on, though whether that would be enough to force any widespread changes in the bill seemed unlikely.

In their letter, the four also said there should be exceptions on people traveling to Syria, Iraq or other nations if they are researchers, journalists or went to provide humanitarian aid. They also said the changes should expire after “a specified period of time.”

Miller's office, responding to that, said reports have indicated that in some cases people potentially linked to ISIS, or the Islamic State, may have claimed to have gone to Syria on humanitarian missions when really it could have been to fight with the group.